Rooftops
by Mariskahargibenson
Summary: Dodds finds out about Olivia's father. Short oneshot :)


**So while avoiding real life I came up with this. It's just a short oneshot, it's not going anywhere but here ya go 3**

 **~X~**

Olivia sighed, watching the cars on the street below. She found it therapeutic. The roof was her safe place. She would go there when she needed time alone, or time out from the demands of being the commanding officer of the squad.

It was peaceful. Somewhere she could forget about the paperwork and the cases, even the people in the squadroom occasionally. Watching the people below going about their every day life, the cars driving by, the tourists making their way through the city taking in the sights… it took her mind off of her own life for a while.

It was a rare occurrence that she had time to come up here anymore. If she wasn't buried under paperwork, she was running out of the door in a mad attempt to make it home before Noah's bedtime.

Before, though, she had spent much more time on the roof of the precinct. Usually late at night or in the early hours of the morning during a tough case.

"I was told I might find you up here."

The voice pulled Olivia from her thoughts and she turned to see Sergeant Mike Dodds standing in the doorway.

He looked a little unsure of what to do. As if he weren't sure whether she was willing to let him join her. And so he hovered, patiently waiting on her cues.

Olivia smiled softly at him. "You've been talking to Fin."

Mike moved forward and stood beside his boss. He mirrored her stance, folding his arms atop the wall and staring out over the city.

"How'd you know?"

"He's the only one who knows I still come up here." Olivia answered.

"I can go if you want… leave you to your thoughts for a while longer?" Mike offered as he straightened up to leave.

He had only taken two steps when he heard Olivia's voice.

"Stay?"

The single word held so much emotion that Mike was taken aback. He was stunned when he turned back to Olivia to see her gazing at him over her shoulder with tears in her eyes.

"Of course."

Mike moved back to Olivia's side and they stood in silence some more. Eventually, it was Olivia who broke the silence.

"What can I do for you, Sergeant?" Mike frowned, unsure of what Olivia was getting at. "You must have been looking for me for Fin to tell you where to find me, so what gives?"

Mike looked out over the city as he spoke. "This case… it seems to have affected you more than others. I just wanted to make sure that you're okay."

Olivia took a deep breath as she realised that nobody had told Mike about her childhood.

"This case hit close to home for me." Olivia began slowly. "I'm the product of my mother's rape. She couldn't cope with me around and so she drank, from the day I was born until the day she died. When I was a kid I had no idea why she hated me so much. Then when I was old enough she finally told me the truth."

"I had no idea…"

"It's not the kind of thing you tell people when you're introduced." Olivia chuckled sadly.

"Did they ever find out who the guy was?"

"Yeah." Olivia nodded. "Joseph Hollister. He died years ago. He was only found after I illegally ran my own blood through the system looking for a match."

"Did you ever look over the case file?" Mike asked, knowing he was toeing the line but also willing to hear Olivia out.

"Yeah. Never got anywhere with it."

"That sucks." Mike knew it probably wasn't what Olivia wanted to hear, but he didn't know what else to say."

"Sometimes I wish my mom had never told me." Olivia admitted, her voice husky from unshed tears. "Finding out about my father made everything make so much sense… but I was fourteen when she told me. After that I was always wondering when I was going to start being like him. I went from a perfect, straight A student who kept her head down, to the most rebellious, disruptive kid you could imagine."

"It has to be tough. I can't imagine what that was like for you, growing up… But look how you turned out." Mike replied softly. "You are the most caring, selfless, compassionate woman I know. I know that your childhood must have been… challenging… but do you think you'd be the same person you are now if your mom hadn't told you about your father?"

"I've asked myself that so many times I've lost count. Finding out what my father did, it's what made me become a cop. I joined SVU, and I've stayed here, to help people like my mom get the justice she never did…" Olivia told him. "Cases like this make me think of my mom. How much pain she must have been in and how hard she worked to hide her problems from the people she worked with."

Olivia took a deep breath as she finished speaking. "So to answer your original question… I'll be okay. Maybe not right now, but I will be."

Mike nodded silently, still standing beside Olivia as they listened to the traffic below, comforted by the hustle of the city they protected.

 **Lemme know what you thought :)**


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